Editors at six New Jersey newspapers think it’s about time Chris Christie quits again—this time, as governor.
A joint editorial from six newspapers including the Asbury Park Press, the Cherry Hill Courier-Post, and the Morristown Daily Record called for the New Jersey governor to resign that position on Tuesday, less than a month after he dropped out of the GOP presidential race that had been occupying so much of his time for several months. Editors at the newspapers—all of which are owned by media company Gannett, according to USA Today—argue that Christie has spent much of the past year ignoring his constituents while campaigning outside the state.
“It has been obvious for at least two years that Christie has put personal ambition ahead of the interests of New Jersey citizens,” the editorial reads.
The newspapers’ editors say they are “fed up with Gov. Chris Christie’s arrogance... His opportunism... His hypocrisy.” They’re also “disgusted” with Christie’s recent endorsement of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump after he spent months “trashing” the former reality TV star on the campaign trail. Christie’s support of Trump has also been criticized by Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman, who is a friend of the governor and supported his campaign.
The editorial refers specifically to a recent press conference Christie held earlier this week in which he refused to answer any questions from reporters on topics such as his Trump endorsement, instead rankling the media by insisting on speaking only about his nominee for the State Supreme Court. The editors point out that any wide-open Christie press conferences have been few and far between in recent years and that the N.J. Governor “fails to acknowledge the role the Fourth Estate plays in a healthy democracy.”
More than just hurt feelings and journalistic outrage, though, the editorial also attacks Christie for the time he has spent away from his constituents during the current election cycle and the alleged cost of his campaign to the state’s residents: “Was his trip to Texas to endorse Trump and his campaigning on his behalf the following day in Arkansas and Tennessee a harbinger of more out-of-state stumping for him in the future?... Will New Jersey continue to be billed for his security and other expenses on these trips? If so, how does he justify that? Last year, he spent 261 full or partial days out of New Jersey.”
The editors call for Christie to resign or, if he refuses to step down, for New Jersey residents to force him out of office with a recall effort.